• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2010

Electrochemical behavior of fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents on carbon paste electrode (CPE) were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry. The fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents tested in this study were Enrofloxacin (ENR), Norfloxacin (NOR), Ciprofloxacin (CIP), Ofloxacin (OFL) and Levofloxacin (LEV). In acetate buffer at pH 4.5, the oxidation peak potentials of the fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents of ENR, NOR, CIP, OFL, and LEV were 0.952 V, 1.052 V, 1.055 V, 0.983 V, and 0.990 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), respectively. And their oxidation peak currents from square wave adsorptive stripping voltammograms are proportional to the concentration of each antibacterial agent over the range from $0.2\;{\mu}M$ to $1\;{\mu}M$.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2007

We determined the sequences of the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of gyrA and gyrB for 21 clinical strains of Enterobacteriaceae resistant to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and levofloxacin. The clinical strains were isolated from the specimens of three general hospitals in Busan. In the present study, we found mutations in type II topoisomerase (DNA gyrase) genes for all strains. We confirmed that some genera of Enterobacteriaceae of clinical specimen exhibited decreased sensitivity to fluroquinolone due to changes in Ser-83$\rightarrow$Leu and Asp-87$\rightarrow$Asn types on gyrA and alterations in Glu-465$\rightarrow$Arg and Ser-492$\rightarrow$Asn type on gyrB. All the twenty-one strains had a missense mutation in gyrA (codon 83 and 87). Three of them had an additional mutation in gyrB (codon 465 or 492), but one of them had an additional mutation in gyrB (codon 426, 427, 491, 495 and 496). The strains which had two mutations in type II topoisomerase genes (gyrA and gyrB) were significantly more resistant to fluoroquinolones than those with a single mutation in gyrA (mean MICs of ciprofloxacin: $\geq8\mu$g/ml, mean MICs of levofloxacin: $\geq16\mu$g/ml). Interestingly, the examination of silent nucleotide changes n the gyrA and gyrB genes revealed six different patterns of DNA polymorphism, respectively. Fifteen strains of the twenty-one strains bearing the gyrase A mutation shared the same polymorphism and eleven strains of the twenty-one strains bearing the gyrase B mutation shared the same polymorphism.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.188-193
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• 2018

Background: Previous studies have noted that the simultaneous use of sulfonylureas and antimicrobials, which is common, could increase the risk of hypoglycemia. In particular, an age of 65 years or older is a known risk factor for sulfonylurea-related hypoglycemia in hospitalized patients. Therefore, we performed this study to determine the potential risk of hypoglycemia from the concurrent use of antimicrobials and sulfonylureas. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort from 2013. The eligibility criteria included patients of 65 years of age or older taking a sulfonylurea with 25 different antimicrobials. Different risk ratings of severity in drug-drug interactions (potential DDIs), level X, D, or C in Lexi-$Interact^{TM}$ online, and contraindicated, major, or moderate severity level in $Micromedex^{(R)}$ were included. SAS version 9.4 was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 6,006 elderly patients with 25,613 prescriptions were included. The largest age group was 70 to 74 (32.7%), and 39.7% of patients were men. The mean number of prescriptions was 4.3 per patient. The most frequently used antimicrobials were levofloxacin (6,583, 25.7%), ofloxacin (6,549, 25.6%), fluconazole (4,678, 18.0%), and ciprofloxacin (2,551, 9.8%). Among sulfonylureas, glimepiride was prescribed most frequently, followed by gliclazide, glibenclamide, and glipizide. Conclusion: Of the antimicrobials with a high potential of hypoglycemia, levofloxacin, ofloxacin, fluconazole, and ciprofloxacin were used frequently. Thus, the monitoring of clinically relevant interactions is required for patients concurrently administered sulfonylureas and antimicrobials.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2018

Background: Prostatitis, one of the most common diseases of the prostate, is a complex disease with various clinical features. This study aims to analyze the utilization and prescribing patterns of antibiotics in Korean patients with prostatitis between 2008 and 2015. Methods: We used the National Health Insurance Database complied from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). The outcomes included the number of claims, number of patients, medical cost, and length of stay for each year. In addition, the prescribing patterns of antibiotics, including fluoroquinolone, and low-dose use of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were investigated. Results: The total number of patients and medical cost increased by 9.5% and 51.7% from 2008 to 2015, respectively. Most prostatitis patients were classified as chronic prostatitis patients. The prescribing proportion of antibiotics for chronic prostatitis outpatients decreased from 71.0% to 66.9% from 2008 to 2015, and fluoroquinolone accounted for more than half of the total antibiotics. Over 80% of prescription of levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin was identified to be for low-dose use. Conclusion: Most of the patients with prostatitis experienced pain relief and condition improvement after antibiotic treatment; however, chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome recur easily. Therefore, active disease management and further studies are needed to enhance our understanding of effective treatment for prostatitis.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.43
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• pp.268.1-268.11
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• 2018

Background: We aimed to compare the therapeutic efficacy of prolonged macrolide (PMC), corticosteroids (CST), doxycycline (DXC), and levofloxacin (LFX) against macrolide-unresponsive Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) pneumonia in children and to evaluate the safety of the secondary treatment agents. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with MP pneumonia hospitalized between January 2015 and April 2017. Macrolide-unresponsiveness was clinically defined with a persistent fever of ${\geq}38.0^{\circ}C$ at ${\geq}72$ hours after macrolide treatment. The cases were divided into four groups: PMC, CST, DXC, and LFX. We compared the time to defervescence (TTD) after secondary treatment and the TTD after initial macrolide treatment in each group with adjustment using propensity score-matching analysis. Results: Among 1,165 cases of MP pneumonia, 190 (16.3%) were unresponsive to macrolides. The proportion of patients who achieved defervescence within 48 hours in CST, DXC, and LFX groups were 96.9% (31/33), 85.7% (12/14), and 83.3% (5/6), respectively. The TTD after initial macrolide treatment did not differ between PMC and CST groups (5.1 vs. 4.2 days, P = 0.085), PMC and DXC groups (4.9 vs. 5.7 days, P = 0.453), and PMC and LFX groups (4.4 vs. 5.0 days, P = 0.283). No side effects were observed in the CST, DXC, and LFX groups. Conclusion: The change to secondary treatment did not show better efficacy compared to PMC in children with macrolide-unresponsive MP pneumonia. Further studies are needed to guide appropriate treatment in children with MP pneumonia.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.587-593
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• 2021

Infertility is a key issue affecting mood and behavior in men. Microorganisms are one of the primary etiological agents that may be associated with infertility. The objective of the present study was to identify bacterial causative agents from the semen of infertile subjects and determine the effect of bacterial infection on sperm quality, as well as determine the susceptibility of these bacteria to drugs. Forty semen samples from 30 infertile patients and 10 fertile individuals were collected. The pH, volume, motility, and concentration of semen were analyzed. The samples were processed and identified by biochemical testing using API identification kits. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern was determined using the disc diffusion method. Abnormal sperm quality was observed. The mean age of the individual and their sperm morphology, concentration, progressive motility, pH level, and pus cell content were 31.9 years, 2.7%, 10.4 million/ml, 27.3%, 8.3, and 5.7, respectively. Among the tested samples, oligoasthenozoospermia was found to show the highest occurrence, at 27/30 samples, followed by teratozoospermia, at 25/30 samples, and asthenozoospermia, at 22/30 samples. Of the tested infertile patients' sperm, 19, 6, and 5 isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively. The results also revealed multi-drug resistance in the bacteria. Compared to that shown by the other tested antibiotics, amikacin showed higher activity against all isolated bacteria. However, the bacteria exhibited maximum resistance against gentamicin, cefotaxime, levofloxacin, and ampicillin. In conclusion, leukocytospermia and bacterial infections are possibly responsible for sperm abnormalities. Multi-drug resistant bacteria were detected. Gentamicin, cefotaxime, levofloxacin and ampicillin were shown the highest resistance, while amikacin was the most effective antimicrobial agent against the isolated bacteria.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.280-283
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• 2013

Leuconostoc spp. is intrinsically resistant against vancomycin and rarely causes the infection in immunocompromised patients. In this report, we describe a fatal case of Leuconostoc lactis bacteremia in a patient with biliary tract stent insertion to resolve the biliary tract obstruction by multiple pseudocysts in the pancreatic head region. Leuconostic lactis isolated from the blood of the patients was confirmed by 16S rRNA sequencing and this isolate was susceptible against most antibiotics, including levofloxacin, penicillin, erythromycin and cefotaxime except vancomycin. The septic shock and multi-organ failure was abruptly progressed due to delayed use of adequate antibiotic. Using vancomycin as the empirical antibiotics in a bacteremic patient by Gram positive cocci, the treatment failures by the isolates with intrinsic resistance against vancomycin have to be considered. In addition, the prompt and accurate identification of Leuconostoc spp. are very important to select the adequate antibiotics.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.434-437
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• 2018

Pseudomonas aeruginosa accounts for a significant proportion of nosocomial infections. This study examined the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and clonal relatedness of P. aeruginosa isolates of clinical and environmental origin. These isolates displayed susceptibility to levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, imipenem, and ceftazidime of 65.0%, 62.5%, 90.0%, 100%, and 85%, respectively. PCR-RAPD analysis of the P. aeruginosa isolates revealed marked variation. No correlation was observed between the antibiotic resistance profiles and the DNA typing patterns.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.16.1-16.6
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• 2023

Salmonella spp. are pathogens involved in most salmonellosis in rabbits. This study examined Salmonella disease in rabbits raised in Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam. Two hundred and 56 rectal swabs of rabbits were taken, and a carrier rate of 33.98% was found. In addition, all the isolated Salmonella spp. strains were 100% motile; positive for H₂S, catalase, Voges Proskauer, coagulase, citrate, maltose, and dextrose; and negative for indole, methyl red, urease, oxidase, sucrose, and lactose. The Kirby-Bauer method showed that these Salmonella strains were susceptible to doxycycline (93.2%), tetracycline (84.1%), and levofloxacin (65.9%). On the other hand, they were highly resistant to streptomycin (95.5%), ampicillin (93.2%), colistin (40.9%), and gentamicin (34.1%). Furthermore, polymerase chain reaction used to screen for virulence and specific genes of Salmonella strains showed that all Salmonella strains isolated carried InvA, fimA, and Stn.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.32-35
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• 2024

In vitro antimicrobial activities of hot water extracts of Chamaecyparis obtuse, for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was compared to commonly used conventional antimicrobial agents. All MRSA was susceptible to linezolid or vancomycin, but also to erythromycin. MIC range and MIC₉₀ to erythromycin, clindamycin, levofloxacin, tetracycline for MRSA were each 4 ㎍/mL, 2 ~ >128 ㎍/mL, ≤0.06 ~ >128 ㎍/mL, 0.25 ~ >128 ㎍/mL, 0.25~64 ㎍/mL and 4 ㎍/mL, .128 ㎍/mL, >128 ㎍/mL, >128 ㎍/mL, 64 ㎍/mL. The hot water extracts of leaf of C. obtuse had the lowest MIC range, MIC₅₀, and MIC₉₀ (0.125 µL/mL) for the MRSA tested, and it was possible more potent than various conventional antimicrobial agents. Screen antibacterial drug candidate with high antibacterial activity such as derivatives of C. obtuse leaf extract such as terpinen-4-ol or using combined therapy with commercialized antibacterial agents will likely be helpful in treating refractory MRSA infections.